But is that Russia Wacky-Toe Backy stuff or is this just a rogue man who allegedly made threats. If it's the latter, I don't see how it would help anyone pushing a Russia conspiracy thing. Maybe bad management, but like in another thread, the Obama Admin had a lot of bad management issues.

Talking about Bannon? It sounds like physical and verbal intimidation which I think would qualify as an attempt at obstruction.

Assuming, of course, the threatening was over matters material to the investigation...which at this point covers a hell of a lot of area. I think it would be hard not to talk about something under that umbrella.

I was told by a source in a position to know that recordings in possession of Germany were removed from Russia last week. Stay tuned.

(per Puesto Loco 6/16)

I've heard at various times that Australia and Germany had tapes. Usually the Australian one is described as the underage one. That one has supposedly been in Five Eyes possession for a while.

Honestly, while it would serve to mock him more, I just can't see a golden shower video moving his numbers all that much. But if it is just a pee pee tape, much more likely we will actually have a chance to see it.

The threat to our democracy posed by Moscow’s spy-games won’t recede on its own. As Rick Ledgett, NSA’s straight-talking deputy director, stated last week, “This is a challenge to the foundations of our democracy.” He went on: “How do we counter that?” adding, “What do we do as a nation to make it stop?”

This first thing we must do is gain a reality-based understanding of the SpyWar we’re in with Moscow.

Pretty much essential reading- especially if you still can't wrap your head around the breadth of what's going on.

Quote:

...Next there’s konspiratsiya (yes, conspiracy), the Russian term for what we call espionage tradecraft. This is the clandestine nuts and bolts of recruiting and running agents, placing targets under surveillance, running covert action and whatnot. While the word conspiracy has a negative, tinfoil-y connotation in the West—where anything which polite people don’t wish to ponder can be brushed off as a “conspiracy theory”—Moscow feels differently.

Russians accept that conspiracies exist because people conspire—and what’s more conspiratorial than espionage, the vaunted second-oldest profession? The Kremlin is notably cold-blooded about konspiratsiya, being willing to sacrifice even highly valuable agents when something better comes along. Moscow does not believe in tears, as the saying goes.

Sounds like Pence is on tape during the transition asking Russians for help cleaning up Flynn's resume and who Trump should pick for Cabinet.- which explains Pence lawyering up the other day.

If that's true, it would be a bombshell of Cecil B. DeMille proportions. It also explains why Tillerson is SoS.

__________________For me, Glenn's death-fake was the moment that THE WALKING DEAD jumped-the-shark. It couldn't have jumped-the-shark harder if Daryl jumped a jet-ski over zombified SeaWorld performers.

So basically the theory is that the Russians hand picked their guy for SoS?

That would make no sense. Tillerson has not been known for being soft on Russian policies. He was actually a surprise pick when Trump chose him. Tillerson was very much pro-sanctions, and even cranking them up if Russia didn't behave better.

Tillerson has been critical of oil sanctions however (justifiably so as it impacts the international community and not Russia as they simply sell their oil to somebody else), but has also recommended more military for the Ukraine area to defend themselves. The Russians are not fans of those who would want to embrace Ukraine and increase Ukraine's military presence...like Tillerson does.

So, if anyone is going after Tillerson, I'd say it's yet another notch in the bedposts of Democrats, furthering the Russian Whatever theory.

In fact, just look at early to mid-January 2017, where there are many articles about Tillerson and Trump not agreeing on Russian policy (from a historical perspective and current comments at the time by Tillerson).

It seems that many are either willingly naive of business interests vs. government conspiracy interests. The latter is more dangerous, but it appears that these accusations are jumping from business interests to somehow working for Russia and being a spy for them.

McCarthyism Part Deux.

Speaking of, is anyone actually aware of the McCarthyism history? It's a good read, and was required when I was in school.

So basically the theory is that the Russians hand picked their guy for SoS?

That would be the logical conclusion. Keep in mind that Tillerson received the Russian Order of Friendship from Putin himself. Exxon and Rosneft have some interesting interactions.

__________________For me, Glenn's death-fake was the moment that THE WALKING DEAD jumped-the-shark. It couldn't have jumped-the-shark harder if Daryl jumped a jet-ski over zombified SeaWorld performers.

JUST IN; Source in a position to know: Mueller investigation now includes Ivanka & Kushner IRS is compiling their & Donald’s returns

this in conjunction with Mensch reporting that Ivanka has been scrubbed from Trumps Poker Shell Companies

Quote:

New financial disclosures reported by Donald Trump show Ivanka Trump’s name being scrubbed from shell companies related to online gambling. Sources with links to the intelligence community and separate sources with links to the White House say that these companies were designed to disguise Russian payments and money-laundering. They further point, these sources say, to the fact that the Kelhios botnet – which was used in Russia’s hack on the American election – was run by a command and control server working from Trump Tower, with the full knowledge of Eric Trump.

Ivanka has been linked to eleven companies in the Trump financial disclosures. Her status has been put to “Inactive” on several odd holding companies, including:

Tihm Manager Corp, which is an officer of “Trump International Hotels Management LLC”
Trump Endeavor 12 Management Corp,
TW Venture LLC, which has “TW Venture I LLC” as a company it manages – that would be “I” for Ivanka, yet she has been scrubbed from the “Key People” record, so that TW Venture I LLC shows zero “key people”
DJTholdings Managing Member LLC
Emerald Dunes Member Corp
40 Wall Street Holdings
and others

He should investigate anyone that might have had connections and have done something illegal and prosecute them if there is enough evidence to do so. It sure would be a piss on Captain Save A Trump's parade if Trump is prosecuted and Obama and his team is shown to have no involvement. It will keep you up at night for a long time.

Apparently there were some interesting things going on w/ regards to Obama and positions of certain judges in the waning days of his presidency leading into Tumps early days in office.

from Raw Story (but it's been reported by many others including the Weekly Standard)

Quote:

On Feb. 9, the same day current Attorney General Jeff Sessions was sworn into office, Donald Trump quietly signed an executive order that effectively changed the line of succession within the Department of Justice, laying out who will succeed Sessions in the event he dies, resigns or otherwise becomes incapacitated.

Trump’s order was a reversal of one signed a month prior by then-president Barack Obama. A week before leaving office, Obama authorized Executive Order 13762, “Providing an Order of Succession Within the Department of Justice.” That order inexplicably removed Obama appointee Dana Boente, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, from the DOJ line of succession. As USA Today reports, at the time Obama offered no justification for why he removed an attorney he appointed from the order of succession within the DOJ.

Fast-forward to Jan. 30, less than two weeks after Trump took office, when the president dramatically fired Obama holdover Sally Yates as Acting Attorney General after she refused to defend Trump’s controversial (and ultimately futile) immigration ban. As Sessions had yet to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Trump was able to elevate whomever he pleased to take Yates’ place.

If Boente’s name sounds familiar, that’s not surprising. In the wake of Yates’ ouster, Trump asked Boente to serve as Acting AG. The Virginia attorney was officially named Acting Attorney General on Feb. 9, the same day Sessions was sworn into office—and the same day Trump signed the executive order reversing Obama’s line of succession.

On Thursday, Sessions announced he would recuse himself from any investigation into Russia’s involvement with the 2016 presidential election, after the Washington Post reported that he failed to disclose multiple meetings with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak during his confirmation hearing. As Politico’s Eric Geller reports, Boente will now take over “any election-related investigations.”

News of Boente’s elevated role in the investigation comes after a New York Times report published Wednesday revealed that in the waning days of the Obama administration, the White House scrambled to disseminate information about Russia’s efforts to undermine the election, as well as potential ties between Trump associates and Russian officials. According to the Times, the Obama administration’s goal was two-fold: to make sure Russia never interfered in that capacity again, and to present a clear trail of evidence for investigators.

Though officials told the Times that “none of the efforts were directed by” the former president, it reflects an unease the prior administration harbored regarding a possible connection between Moscow and Trump.

In December, Obama ordered a full assessment of Russian influence in the 2016 election. The 17 agencies and offices that comprise the U.S. intelligence community concluded that Russia interfered in an effort to help elect Trump. The full extent of Russia’s interference—and the Trump campaign’s potential involvement—is currently under investigation; as the story continues to unfold, one thing is clear: Despite the administration’s claims to the contrary, there is a “there” there.

Trump is a open book (with all the complexity of a Dick & Jane reader) that anyone with a brain could see. Not a surprise that Obama could and would play him like this.

I don't think the Obama administration exists any more ... something about a Trump administration taking over or something

Oh, you mean because somebody leaves office it no longer exists. Like an out of sight out of mind thing.

That's odd. Because here we're also arguing the Obama Administration's policies being ruined by Trump. If the Obama Administration was truly non-existent now...why the concern over policies that were active during that administration's tenure.

By all means, keep chasing that rabbit. If you think the real story here than none of us are getting at is the nefariousness of the Obama admin, then open up a Obama conspiracy thread and do some digging to feed it.

Oh, you mean because somebody leaves office it no longer exists. Like an out of sight out of mind thing.

That's odd. Because here we're also arguing the Obama Administration's policies being ruined by Trump. If the Obama Administration was truly non-existent now...why the concern over policies that were active during that administration's tenure.

Because, I don't know, maybe​ those policies still affect millions of Americans lives on a daily basis now and into the future? I mean, besides that, I got nothing.

Trump is a open book (with all the complexity of a Dick & Jane reader) that anyone with a brain could see. Not a surprise that Obama could and would play him like this.

So, Obama removed people from positions and nobody questioned his actions at the time...but yet those same people who kept quiet at that time--or who were just asleep--are questioning Trump today with his actions.

Interesting.

For those that don't know, Obama personally appointed Dana B. in October 2015, and was confirmed by the US Senate at the time.

That's about 4 months after...Trump announced his Presidential candidacy.

Loretta Lynch--name should sound familiar--praised and gave kudos for Obama's decision and to Dana Boente. Lynch even said, according to the Washington Post: "He is that reliable middle child, the one you could always count on to be there for you."

Why such love for Dana?

Dana spearheaded the prosecution of former Gov. Robert F. McDonnell. Who was a Republican.

So, basically, this story means less and less, proves that politics of judges and loyalties often rest with those in power at the time, and that this article's writer attempted to backtrack a decision Trump made, eluding to a "master chess move by Obama" but in reality, makes no sense if you add these little details that were conveniently left out.

The facts are that Judge Dana Boente, was everyone's favorite.

We heard the same when Comey came onto the scene.

Seems like both Presidents...wanted Dana Boente in the middle of the Russian conspiracy. Why is that, I ask.

Maybe two Presidents already knew that Sessions would not be confirmed...

That would make no sense. Tillerson has not been known for being soft on Russian policies. He was actually a surprise pick when Trump chose him. Tillerson was very much pro-sanctions, and even cranking them up if Russia didn't behave better.

Tillerson has been critical of oil sanctions however (justifiably so as it impacts the international community and not Russia as they simply sell their oil to somebody else), but has also recommended more military for the Ukraine area to defend themselves. The Russians are not fans of those who would want to embrace Ukraine and increase Ukraine's military presence...like Tillerson does.

So, if anyone is going after Tillerson, I'd say it's yet another notch in the bedposts of Democrats, furthering the Russian Whatever theory.

In fact, just look at early to mid-January 2017, where there are many articles about Tillerson and Trump not agreeing on Russian policy (from a historical perspective and current comments at the time by Tillerson).

It seems that many are either willingly naive of business interests vs. government conspiracy interests. The latter is more dangerous, but it appears that these accusations are jumping from business interests to somehow working for Russia and being a spy for them.

McCarthyism Part Deux.

Speaking of, is anyone actually aware of the McCarthyism history? It's a good read, and was required when I was in school.

You're forgetting something on the sanctions--they're preventing Exxon and Rosneft from completing a huge project in the Black Sea that was worth billions of dollars in oil. The sanctions are very much hurting Russia.

The talk I've heard is that Putin is desperate for revenue as low oil prices drastically hurt Russia since it's their primary industry.

I will say that Tillerson's tenure as SOS, so far, is tough to analyze. Certainly, he had a strong relationship with Russia as CEO of Exxon, but that has not appeared to carryover to his tenure as SOS. He also seems to be on a different page than the rest of the admin half the time.